KWCD (92.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. It is licensed to Bisbee, Arizona, United States. This station serves southern Cochise County, Arizona and a small piece of northern Sonora, Mexico.[2] The station is currently owned by Townsquare Media.[3]
| Broadcast area | Sierra Vista, Arizona |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 92.3 MHz |
| Branding | KWCD Country 92.3 FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country music |
| Affiliations | Compass Media Networks Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KTAN, KZMK | |
| History | |
First air date | October 12, 1979 |
Former call signs | KBAZ (1979–1980) KZMK (1980–1993) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 22972 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 90 watts |
| HAAT | 649.0 meters (2,129.3 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 31°28′52″N 109°57′30″W / 31.48111°N 109.95833°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kwcdcountry.com |
History
editThis station went on the air using the call sign KBAZ (meaning: Bisbee AriZona) on October 12, 1979. This station was the second FM radio station in southern Cochise County. In 1982, under new ownership, this station rebranded itself, changed its call sign to KZMK (meaning: cosmic) and was called "The Starship". For several months prior to the change, billboards appeared around Cochise County featuring a flying saucer with the words "the starship is coming", leaving people to wonder what they meant. Just prior to the change, the call sign and the frequency were added to the billboards as well as the wording was changed to "the starship is here".
KZMK entered into direct competition with KTAZ-FM, which was at the time the number 1 rock and roll station in the area. KZMK was broadcasting with considerably less power than its rival KTAZ, (55 watts vs. 3,000 watts) and was called by broadcasters "the 50 watt blowtorch", however KZMK's signal covers a greater area, to include all of the populated areas in southern Cochise County as well as parts of northern Cochise County and parts of northern Sonora, Mexico because its transmitter is located on a mountain peak, at an approximate elevation of 7,000 feet above sea level.[4] Ironically both stations are now owned by the same company
On September 1, 1993, the station changed its call sign to the current KWCD, and changed its format to Country Western. The call sign KZMK was assumed by its old rival KTAZ-FM. The station's power was later increased to 90 watts.[5][6]
History of ownership
edit1979–1982 Wrye and Associates
1982–1996 Copper Valley Broadcasting
1996–2000 DB Broadcasting
2000–2003 Commonwealth Broadcasting
2003–2022 Cherry Creek Media[7]
2022–present Townsquare Media
References
edit- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KWCD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ radiolocator.com
- ^ "KWCD Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ USGS Topographical Maps
- ^ americanradiohistory.com
- ^ "KWCD Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ Radio Almanac
External links
edit- Facility details for Facility ID 22972 (KWCD) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- KWCD in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- FCC History Cards for KWCD